Amsterdam Growth And Health Longitudinal Study Research Articles

The importance of measuring biological age in longitudinal research of male and female teenagers: Data from the Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study (AGAHLS)

The importance of measuring biological age in longitudinal research of male and female teenagers: Data from the Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study (AGAHLS)

The Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study: how important is physical activity in youth for later health? (ELS 33).

Three important results came from the Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study (AGAHLS). This study followed three birth cohorts (1962, 1963 and 1964) of boys and girls in the Amsterdam region in the Netherlands. The follow-up period was 25 years, with 10 measurements from age 12 to 42 years. The main purpose of the AGAHLS was to detect changes in health and lifestyle over time during the teenage and young adult period. In total, 617 subjects were recruited from two secondary schools in Amsterdam and Purmerend. We measured aerobic fitness (VO2 peak), bone mineral density (BMD), obesity from body mass index (BMI) and body fatness from the sum of four skinfolds (S4S). Daily physical activity (DPA) was measured from heart rate, pedometers and an interview. Daily food intake (DFI) was measured by a cross-check dietary history interview. Longitudinal data analyses revealed that: (1) aerobic fitness, as measured by direct measurement of maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max), increased more significantly in the physically active percentile (P > 75) of males and females than in the physically inactive percentile (P < 25), (2) BMD, as measured with dual X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) in the wrist, hip and lumbar region, showed that physical activity in youth with a high mechanical load on the bones (mostly weight bearing) increased bone formation in the hip and lumbar region of males and females in adulthood, (3) the longitudinal relationship between DPA and DFI with the development of overweight and obesity (measured from BMI and S4S) showed that more DPA resulted in significantly lower fat mass, but no relationship could be demonstrated with DFI . The main conclusion from this 25-year longitudinal research is that the promotion of physical activity (including physical education and sport) in adolescence can potentially be a strong tool to prevent chronic diseases and reduce healthcare costs later in life.

Why item response theory should be used for longitudinal questionnaire data analysis in medical research.

BackgroundMulti-item questionnaires are important instruments for monitoring health in epidemiological longitudinal studies. Mostly sum-scores are used as a summary measure for these multi-item questionnaires. The objective of this study was to show the negative impact of using sum-score based longitudinal data analysis instead of Item Response Theory (IRT)-based plausible values.MethodsIn a simulation study (varying the number of items, sample size, and distribution of the outcomes) the parameter estimates resulting from both modeling techniques were compared to the true values. Next, the models were applied to an example dataset from the Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study (AGHLS).ResultsThe results show that using sum-scores leads to overestimation of the within person (repeated measurement) variance and underestimation of the between person variance.ConclusionsWe recommend using IRT-based plausible value techniques for analyzing repeatedly measured multi-item questionnaire data.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12874-015-0050-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Longitudinal multiple-group IRT modelling: covariance pattern selection using MCMC and RJMCMC

Longitudinal studies in psychometric assessment are often focused on latent traits of subjects, who are clustered in different groups (e.g., gender, grade, social level). The corresponding type of data can be characterised as longitudinal multiple-group item responses. For this type of data, a longitudinal multiple-group IRT (LMGIRT) model is proposed, where group-specific dependencies between latent traits can be modelled using the appropriate covariance structure. The multiple-group specification together with the developed MCMC-based algorithms make it possible to handle the scaling process simultaneously with the estimation of latent traits, item and population parameters. Also, a reversible-jump MCMC (RJMCMC) algorithm is proposed for joint parameter estimation and covariance matrix selection for a single-group longitudinal IRT model. The MCMC-based algorithms can handle identification rules, scaling issues and selection between restricted covariance structures. Simulation studies reveal that not only all parameters are accurately recovered, but also the correct underlying covariance pattern model is selected. Two real datasets are used to illustrate the longitudinal IRT models and the MCMC algorithms for estimation and model fit assessment. One study concerns the health condition of Dutch students from Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study (AGHLS) and the other study a longitudinal research program of the Brazilian federal government.

Number and appraisal of daily hassles and life events in young adulthood: the association with physical activity and screen time: a longitudinal cohort study.

BackgroundYoung adults face radical life changes regarding residence, marriage, family and work that may negatively impact their health behaviours. Therefore, we investigated the associations of the number of daily hassles and life events and their subjective appraisal with physical activity and screen time in young adulthood.MethodsData came from participants of the Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study (AGAHLS). Self-reported physical activity (min/wk) was used from wave 6 (1991; mean age 27), wave 7 (1993; mean age 29), wave 8 (1996/1997; mean age 32) and 9 (2000; mean age 36). Self-reported screen time (h/wk) was assessed in waves 8 and 9. The number and the appraisal of daily hassles and major life events were assessed with the Everyday Problem Checklist and Life Events List, respectively (including five life event domains, i.e.: health, work, home/family, personal/social relations, and finances). The final sample included 474 participants for the physical activity analyses and 475 participants for the screen time analyses. To test the longitudinal associations of daily hassles and life events with physical activity and screen time, univariable and multivariable Generalised Estimating Equations were performed. Effect modification by gender was tested.ResultsPhysical activity levels were higher in those who had experienced more daily hassles. People who reported higher subjective appraisal in the work and finances life event domains also had higher levels of physical activity, although only the subjective appraisal in the finances domain remained significant in the multivariable model. No significant associations between number and subjective appraisal of daily hassles and life events and screen time were observed.ConclusionsThe occurrence of specific life events may be more influential for people’s physical activity behaviour than their respective sum or emotional tone. Still, the assessment of daily hassles may be a relevant addition in this research field. Finally, we suggest that daily hassles and life events are less important for explaining screen time behaviour than for physical activity.

Body mass index is related to microvascular vasomotion, this is partly explained by adiponectin.

obesity-related microvascular dysfunction, including alterations in rhythmic changes in vascular diameter, so-called 'vasomotion', may be important in the clustering of obesity with other cardiovascular risk factors. Adipokines have been suggested to play a role in obesity-related vascular dysfunction. Alterations in vasomotion have been found using extreme body mass index (BMI) phenotypes. Whether these alterations can be translated to the general population is unknown. The aim was to retrospectively investigate relationships between BMI, vasomotion and adipokines in a population-based cohort. Adiposity, vasomotion, adiponectin and leptin were determined in 94 apparently healthy participants (age 42 years, 46 men, mean BMI 25·5 ± 3·8 kg/m(2) ) of the Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study (AGHLS). Vasomotion was assessed via wavelet analysis of skin laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF). BMI was associated with the neurogenic domain of the vasomotion spectrum (β -0·011, P = 0·046), adiponectin (β -0·18, P = 0·028) and leptin (β 2·22, P < 0·0001). Adiponectin was positively associated with the neurogenic domain of vasomotion (β 0·016, P = 0·019). Leptin did not show any significant relationship with vasomotion. The association between BMI and the neurogenic domain of the vasomotion spectrum was partly explained by adiponectin. The association between adiposity and microvascular vasomotion also applies to the normal population and is partly explained by adiponectin.

Changes in Aerobic Fitness in Boys and Girls Over a Period of 25 Years: Data From the Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study Revisited and Extended

In the Amsterdam Growth And Health Longitudinal Study (AGAHLS), a group of approximately 650 12- to 14-year-old boys and girls was followed in their growth, and development of their health their lifestyle including diet, physical activity and smoking. One of the main interests was the change in their aerobic fitness. From 12 to 36 years of age in total, eight repeated measurements were performed to measure peak oxygen uptake (peak VO2). In this study the data of peak VO2 are revisited and extended: We made use of all collected data as a mixed longitudinal design including cross-sectionally measured subjects as well as longitudinally measured subjects. This led to the availability of 1,194 boys and 1356 girls. With Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) the longitudinal changes with chronological age and differences between boys and girls were analyzed. Teenage boys and girls increased their peak VO2 (ml/min) significantly (p < .001) until age 14 in girls and until age 17 in boys. However peak VO2 relative to bodyweight (peak VO2/BW) had significantly (p < .001) decreased over the whole age range from 12 to 36 in both sexes. Vigorous physical activity (VPA) also showed a decrease and was significantly (p < .001) related with lower peak VO2/BW (Beta = 0.001). This relation was stronger in boys than in girls. Because at the start of AGAHLS no fast responding metabolic instruments were available, future longitudinal studies about aerobic fitness should include also measurement of VO2 kinetics.

Cohort Profile: The Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study

The Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study (AGHLS) is a unique, multidisciplinary cohort study that was initially set up to examine growth and health among teenagers. Throughout the years, the AGHLS has aimed to answer research questions dealing with the relationships between the (natural) development of anthropometry, lifestyle and health from adolescence into adulthood. The AGHLS specifically focuses on anthropometrics, physical activity and fitness, cardiovascular disease risk, lifestyle, musculoskeletal health, psychological health and well-being. Besides this, many methodological issues related to the analysis of longitudinal data were also explored within the framework of the AGHLS. In 1976, students from two secondary schools from the greater Amsterdam area were included in the study. Between 1976 and 2006, 10 rounds of measurement were performed covering an age range between 13 and 43 years. The huge database collected so far has been primarily used to answer relevant research questions regarding the longitudinal relationship between lifestyle and health. Further information about the study can be obtained from the principal investigator Jos Twisk (jwr.twisk@vumc.nl), and up-to-date information on AGHLS can be found by visiting the website www.aggo.nl.

Endothelial dysfunction and low-grade inflammation are associated with arterial stiffness in healthy adults over a 6-year period: The Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study (AGAHLS)

s 183 University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Vienna, Austria Background: The assessment of arterial stiffness and central pressures has been limited to specialised techniques and settings. New, more practical methods (ARCSolver) allow assessment using a standard brachial cuff. The objective was to assess the feasibility of central haemodynamics and surrogates of arterial stiffness from the ARCSolver in a community based setting. Methods: Peripheral and central systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP) and wave reflection parameters (augmentation index) were obtained from a 1,903 volunteers in anAustrian community setting.Weassessed for knowndifferences and associations according to gender and each age deciles from <30 years to 80 years in the whole population and a subset with a systolic BP< 140 mmHg. Results: Age and gender associations with central haemodynamic and augmentation parameters reflected those previously established from gold-standard non-invasive techniques under specialised settings (Fig. 1). Findings were the same for patients with a systolic BP below 140 mmHg (i.e. normotensive). Differences in actual values for augmentation index are likely due to lower numbers of volunteers in these age groups and method differences. Conclusion: One-off measures of central haemodynamics and pulse wave augmentation from the ARCSolver demonstrated known age and gender associations which were not limited to normotensive individuals. Using ARCSolver to obtain estimates of central pressure and augmentation appears robust and feasible in a community setting. Further validation is now possible in large cohort studies, particularly in primary care settings. Figure 1 Regression curves for the effect of age on augmentation index in P8 e Endothelium and Small Arteries 2

Adolescent predictors of objectively measured physical activity and sedentary behaviour at age 42: the Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study (AGAHLS)

BackgroundThis study investigated the associations of physical characteristics and personality in adolescence with physical activity and sedentary behaviour in adulthood.FindingsPhysical characteristics (i.e. objectively measured BMI, sum of skin folds, MOPER test battery performance), and personality (i.e. self-reported inadequacy, social inadequacy, rigidity, self-sufficiency/recalcitrance, dominance, achievement motivation, facilitating anxiety, debilitating anxiety, and social desirability) were assessed in 217 adolescent boys (Mean 13.0, SD 0.6) and girls (Mean 12.9, SD 0.6). Twenty-nine years later, at the age of 42, their physical activity and sedentary behaviour were assessed by means of accelerometry. Boys who scored lower on self-sufficiency/recalcitrance and higher on facilitating anxiety spent more time sedentary in adulthood. Girls with a superior standing high jump performance, and a lower score on social desirability spent more time sedentary in adulthood. In contrast with sedentary behaviour, physical activity at age 42 year could not be predicted by physical characteristics or personality in adolescence.ConclusionsSedentary behaviour in adulthood was partly explained by physical characteristics and/or personality in adolescence. Thus, our results suggest that it may be possible to identify people who are at risk of becoming sedentary at a rather young age.

Relationship between long-term coffee consumption and components of the metabolic syndrome: the Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study

Cardiovascular diseases and diabetes mellitus type II (DM II) are both major health problems. A large risk factor for these diseases is the presence of the metabolic syndrome. It is known that the risk of DM II can be decreased by coffee consumption. Therefore, we examined the association between coffee consumption and the components of the metabolic syndrome. Prospective data from the Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study (AGAHLS) is used to analyse the associations between coffee consumption (averaged over a period from 27 till 42 years) and the components of the metabolic syndrome (at the age of 42 years). This was done by linear regression analyses and associations were adjusted for physical activity, energy intake, alcohol consumption and smoking behaviour. The results showed that moderate and high (>2 cups/day) coffee consumption was significantly associated with lower HDL in women. For men, coffee consumption was not associated with any of the components of the metabolic syndrome.

Life-course habitual physical activity and its impact on arterial stiffness: The Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study (AGAHLS)

Life-course habitual physical activity and its impact on arterial stiffness: The Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study (AGAHLS)

Life-course of mean arterial pressure and its impact on arterial stiffness: The Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study (AGAHLS)

Life-course of mean arterial pressure and its impact on arterial stiffness: The Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study (AGAHLS)

Longitudinal Development of Fitness and Fatness from Adolescence to Adulthood: Impact on Arterial Stiffness at the Age of 36 Years: The Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study (AGAHLS)

Longitudinal Development of Fitness and Fatness from Adolescence to Adulthood: Impact on Arterial Stiffness at the Age of 36 Years: The Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study (AGAHLS)

Linking Physical Activity and Aerobic Fitness: Are We Active Because We Are Fit, or Are We Fit Because We Are Active?

The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that physical activity (PA), measured over a period of 23 years, is beneficial to aerobic fitness (VO2max) in boys and girls (13-36 years) who were enrolled in the Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study (AGAHLS). PA was measured using a standardized activity interview. VO2max was assessed directly with a maximal running test on a treadmill. To assess the longitudinal relationship between PA and VO2max, different longitudinal analyses were carried out over different age periods, correcting for various confounders such as lifestyle parameters, biological parameters, and initial VO2max. Highly significant relationships (p &lt; .05) were observed between PA and VO2max in four of the five analyses. However, in an autoregression analysis, when current PA has been related to the future change in VO2max, the results are not any more significant (p &gt; .05). Analysis of the data of PA and VO2max from the AGAHLS population does not fully support the hypothesis that PA affects VO2max.

In a prospective study in young people, associations between changes in smoking behavior and risk factors for cardiovascular disease were complex

Objective This study investigates how voluntary changes in tobacco consumption are related to changes in biological risk factors for cardiovascular disease in 21- to 36-year-old men and women. Study Design and Setting Data of the Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study (AGAHLS) were used to study the association between voluntary changes in tobacco consumption and changes in biological risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) during 4–6 years of follow-up in 165 men and 195 women aged 21–36 years. We used multiple linear regression analyses with corrections for age and changes in other lifestyles. Results In both sexes, we found trends for a reduction in blood pressure, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), body weight, and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and a rise in the ratio between total serum cholesterol (TC) and HDL-C (TC/HDL-C) with increasing tobacco consumption. Opposite trends were found with reducing tobacco consumption. In women, body weight, WHR, and waist circumference reduced significantly and independently with increasing tobacco consumption and increased significantly with decreasing tobacco consumption. Conclusion These results suggest that voluntary changes in tobacco consumption go together with both healthy and unhealthy changes in biological risk factors for CVD.

Smoking and quantitative ultrasound parameters in the calcaneus in 36-year-old men and women.

Little is known regarding the association between smoking and quantitative ultrasound (QUS) parameters. Broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA) and speed of sound (SOS) are believed to provide information on bone quality besides information on bone mineral density (BMD). The aim of this study was to investigate (1) current tobacco smoking; (2) lifetime tobacco smoking; and (3) years since smoking cessation, in relation to QUS and BMD parameters in 36-year-old men and women. Data came from the ninth measurement of the Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study (AGAHLS), in which 165 men (36 smokers and 129 nonsmokers) and 178 women (33 smokers and 145 nonsmokers) participated, with an average age of 36 years (SD = 0.7). BUA (dB/MHz) and SOS (m/s) of the calcaneus were assessed by using the CUBA Clinical instrument. BMD of the lumbar spine (L1-L4), total hip, and total body were measured with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). We used multiple linear regression analyses with correction for body weight, physical activity, calcium intake, and alcohol consumption. We found no significant associations between smoking and any of the BMD parameters in 36-year-old men and women. However, both current and lifetime tobacco smoking were significantly and negatively associated with BUA in women but not in men. Lifetime tobacco smoking was significantly and negatively associated with SOS in both sexes. The latter association was independent of body weight, calcium intake, physical activity, and alcohol consumption in women, but not in men. Our results suggest that both current and lifetime tobacco smoking are associated with a deterioration in bone quality but not with a reduction in BMD. However, since BMD parameters and QUS parameters were not measured at the same sites, our results may also simply suggest that the calcaneus is affected by smoking at an earlier stage than the lumbar spine, hip, and total body.

Effects of Health Information in Youth and Young Adulthood on Risk Factors for Chronic Diseases—20-Year Study Results from the Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study

In the Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study (AGAHLS) biological risk factors for chronic diseases were measured on eight separate occasions over a period of 20 years in a group of apparently healthy males and females ( n = 164). Data were first collected from participants at 13 years of age. At each of the eight measurements, a medical checkup was performed and participants were given information about their current health status based on their personal biological risk factor profile (cholesterol, blood pressure, body composition, and physical fitness). A comparable group ( n = 113) was measured on two occasions only: at age 13 and again at age 33. It was hypothesized that the group with eight measurements would present a more favorable 20-year development of the risk factors than the group with only two measurements. In the present article the six additional measurements with personal feedback of one's health status were perceived as an “intervention,” even though the AGAHLS never intended to improve the lifestyle or health of its subjects. The intervention appeared to have had a positive effect on body fat distribution and, in men, on systolic blood pressure. However, it was expected that these significant results were not true effects of the intervention, but that they were type-I errors. For the other variables, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and the ratio between these two, for the sum of four skinfolds, diastolic blood pressure, neuromotor fitness, and for maximal oxygen uptake, the 20-year development did not differ between the two groups. Thus, the effects of a 20-year health measurement and information intervention begun in youth on biologic risk factors for chronic diseases were limited. The absence of clear significant findings may be due to the low contrast between the two groups, as only six intervention measurements were conducted over a period of 20 years. Another reason may be that the young and relatively healthy population under study here was not amenable to changing their fitness and health.

Effects of health information in youth on adult physical activity: 20‐Year study results from the Amsterdam growth and health longitudinal study

In the Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study (AGAHLS), a group of apparently healthy males and females (n = 200) were interviewed about their physical activities on eight separate occasions over a period of 20 years between 13 and 33 years of age (multi-measured group: MM). Information about their health was given based on their personally measured lifestyle (activity, diet, smoking) and biological risk characteristics for chronic diseases (medical check-ups). A comparable group of boys and girls (n = 200) was only measured on two occasions (bi-measured group: BM): at 13 and 33 years. Physical activity was estimated with a structured interview. Total physical activity and sports activity were estimated in three intensity levels (light, moderate, and heavy). It was hypothesized that the eight repeated medical check-ups with health information in the MM group would result in a healthier lifestyle with respect to the determinants and levels of habitual physical activity compared to the BM group. Contrary to the hypothesis, males and females in the BM group showed a significantly higher increase or a lower decrease in physical activities compared to the MM group. This negative effect on the physical activity pattern at 33 years in the MM group may have been caused by more underreporting of physical activities than in the BM group. In conclusion, there does not appear to be a significant effect of long-term (multi-measured) health information with medical check-ups during adolescence and young adulthood on level of physical activity in males and females at 33 years of age.

Validation of a physical activity questionnaire to measure the effect of mechanical strain on bone mass

Most of the questionnaires available to estimate the daily physical activity levels of humans are based on measuring the intensity of these activities as multiples of resting metabolic rate (METs). Metabolic intensity of physical activities is the most important component for evaluating effects on cardiopulmonary fitness. However, animal studies have indicated that for effects on bone mass the intensity in terms of energy expenditure (metabolic component) of physical activities is less important than the intensity of mechanical strain in terms of the forces by the skeletal muscles and/or the ground reaction forces. The physical activity questionnaire (PAQ) used in the Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study (AGAHLS) was applied to investigate the long-term effects of habitual physical activity patterns during youth on health and fitness in later adulthood. The PAQ estimates both the metabolic components of physical activities (METPA) and the mechanical components of physical activities (MECHPA). Longitudinal measurements of METPA and MECHPA were made in a young population of males and females ranging in age from 13 to 32 years. This enabled evaluation of the differential effects of physical activities during adolescence (13–16 years), young adulthood (21–28 years), and the total period of 15 years (age 13–28 years) on bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar spine, as measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in males (n = 139) and females (n = 163) at a mean age of 32 years. The PAQ used in the AGAHLS during adolescence (13–16 years) and young adulthood (21–28 years) has the ability to measure the physical activity patterns of both genders, which are important for the development of bone mass at the adult age. MECHPA is more important than METPA. The highest coefficient of 0.33 ( p < 0.01) was between MECHPA measured over the total period of 15 years (13–28 years) and lumbar BMD at age 32 years. Only during adolescence (12–16 years) was METPA more important with regard to lumbar BMD at age 32 years, with a β of 0.21 ( p < 0.01). The relative validity of the PAQ was established by comparing PAQ scores during four annual measurements in 200 boys and girls with two other objective measures of physical activity: movement counters (pedometers) and heart rate monitoring. These showed significant ( p < 0.01) correlations in both genders, varying between 0.16 and 0.20. The small variation indicates, however, that all three instruments measure different aspects of physical activity. The results from the PAQ, with respect to MECHPA, validated in humans the results from animal studies in which bone adaptation during skeletal growth and development continuously adjust skeletal mass and architecture to changing mechanical stimuli caused by physical activity.